Pella, Ia. – Occupy Wall Street activists have misguided aims, but they are tapping into Americans’ accurate perception that many people are being denied a fair shot at a good life, Rick Santorum said here this morning.

“The reason you see some sympathy among the American public for them is the grave concern – and it’s a legitimate one – that blue-collar workers, lower-income workers, are having a harder and harder time rising,” the former Pennsylvania senator said at a presidential campaign stop. “They talk about income inequality. I’m for income inequality. I think some people should make more than other people, because some people work harder and have better ideas and take more risk, and they should be rewarded for it. I have no problem with income inequality.

“President Obama is for income equality. That’s socialism. It’s worse yet, it’s Marxism,” Sanoturm said. “I’m not for income equality. I’m not for equality of result – I’m for equality of opportunity.”

“The key in America is that people can rise, that there are opportunities to move up. In that area, America is falling short now. We are not as income-mobile as even some western European countries, according to a lot of the data. So that is something that as Republicans we should be talking about and being concerned about.”

To increase opportunities, Santorum touted his idea to remove corporate taxes from manufacturing companies. He said that would encourage more of them to bring solid jobs back from overseas, where many companies have moved because of lower taxes and fewer regulations. He said many low-skilled manufacturing jobs would remain in poor countries, but higher-skilled jobs could be returned here if the government would ease up on employers.

Santorum noted that the Wall Street Journal has criticized his idea for favoring one sector of the economy over others. He defended the plan, saying manufacturing jobs are the easiest to move overseas. “ Vermeer can move to China,” he said, referring to a leading Pella machinery manufacturer. “This hotel can’t. And therefore, we need to make sure we compete so Vermeer doesn’t move to China.”

Other themes: Santorum, who has campaigned relentlessly in Iowa for months, urged Iowans to reward candidates who take the time to talk to them and respond to their concerns. He said his campaign stops last an hour or two, and include long question-and-answer sessions. “They’re not just drive-bys,” he said. Later, when asked if he was referring to last-minute, marathon bus tours undertaken by some of his Republican rivals, he smiled and said he would let his statement stand for itself.

Crowd: About 50 people gathered at a downtown hotel restaurant. Barbara Bellinger, 63, of Leighton has considered several other candidates. The retired school librarian left the meeting determined to caucus for Santorum. “He’s unwavering. He has the same values I do,” she said. “He’s not going to waffle. When he says things, he means them.”

Place in the race: Santorum has consistently trailed in the polls, despite running the kind of retail campaign that is supposed to be the trademark of the Iowa caucuses. He urged voters to ignore the media’s predictions that other candidates are likely to win. “The man, the media, decides who you listen to, who you focus on. You have an opportunity to say, ‘No, we’ll tell you … who we believe is the best person.”

Candidate’s day: Santorum was scheduled to speak later today in Mount Pleasant, Davenport and Bettendorf.